Princess and the Jester JESS MARIANO

Marked moments

The next morning, (Y/N) woke up feeling warm and content, wrapped in Jess's arms on the couch. The previous night's intimate moments replayed in her mind, bringing a smile to her lips. She glanced at Jess, who was still asleep, his face peaceful and relaxed.

Carefully extricating herself from his embrace, she made her way to the bathroom to freshen up. As she looked in the mirror, her eyes widened at the sight of a faint hickey on her neck. The memory of Jess's lips on her skin sent a shiver down her spine, a mix of embarrassment and thrill coursing through her.

She dressed quickly, opting for a scarf to cover the mark, and headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. The smell of coffee brewing soon roused Jess, who appeared in the doorway, looking rumpled and irresistibly attractive.

"Morning," he greeted with a sleepy smile.

"Good morning," (Y/N) replied, handing him a cup of coffee. "Sleep well?"

"Best sleep I've had in ages," Jess admitted, taking a sip. His eyes traveled to her neck, and he smirked. "Nice scarf. Trying out a new look?"

(Y/N) blushed, fiddling with the fabric. "Just felt like it," she said, her voice betraying her embarrassment.

Jess chuckled, stepping closer to gently tug the scarf down, revealing the hickey. "Sorry about that," he said, though his tone was anything but apologetic.

She swatted his hand playfully. "You're not sorry at all."

He grinned, leaning in to kiss her forehead. "Nope, not really."

As they enjoyed breakfast together, the comfortable silence was occasionally broken by laughter and light conversation. But as the clock ticked closer to noon, (Y/N) began to feel a knot of nervousness in her stomach.

"My parents are coming home today," she mentioned casually, though her eyes darted to Jess for his reaction.

Jess raised an eyebrow. "And when exactly are they supposed to get here?"

"Any minute now, actually," (Y/N) admitted, biting her lip.

"Well, that's great," Jess said, though his expression was a mix of amusement and concern. "Guess I should make myself presentable then."

They hurriedly cleaned up the remnants of breakfast and straightened the living room just as the sound of a car pulling into the driveway reached their ears. (Y/N)'s heart raced, and she glanced at Jess, who gave her a reassuring smile.

"You've got this," he whispered, squeezing her hand.

Her parents walked in, carrying bags and chatting animatedly about their trip. When they saw Jess, they paused, surprise evident on their faces.

"Mom, Dad, this is Jess," (Y/N) introduced, trying to keep her voice steady. "He's a friend of mine."

Her mother's eyes flicked to the faint mark on (Y/N)'s neck, then to Jess, a knowing smile forming. "Nice to meet you, Jess. We've heard a lot about you."

"Nice to meet you too, Mrs. and Mr. (Y/L/N)," Jess replied politely, extending his hand. "I've heard great things about you as well."

The tension eased as her parents exchanged pleasantries with Jess, and soon enough, they were all sitting around the dining table, sharing stories and laughter. (Y/N) watched in relief as Jess charmed her parents, his natural ease and wit winning them over.

As the afternoon wore on, (Y/N) couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and happiness. Jess had seamlessly integrated into her family, and despite the initial awkwardness, the day had turned out better than she could have hoped.

Later, as they saw Jess off, her parents gave her knowing looks but didn't press her for details. She walked Jess to his car, feeling a mix of emotions.

"You did great," Jess said, pulling her into a hug. "Your parents seem wonderful."

"They really liked you," (Y/N) replied, hugging him back. "Thank you for today."

He pulled back slightly, looking into her eyes. "Anytime. And next time, let's make sure we don't have any surprise marks, okay?"

(Y/N) laughed, nodding. "Deal."

With a final kiss, Jess got into his car and drove away, leaving (Y/N) standing in the driveway with a heart full of warmth and a smile on her face. She knew that, despite the ups and downs, this was just the beginning of many more cherished moments with Jess.